Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-28
EVENING STAR.
A SNAKE STORY.

"Tell about yer snake stories" said GUS "whel
Jake and went cunning, down in the noun
tain wtlds In North Carolina, 1 had an exper1enc,
in the snake line, and saw a snake, such as d,
not believe was ever seen or heard Of before.
"Jake was acquainted with the country ant
knew where there was an old deserted cabin
This we took possession OF for the few days wi
snatched from our business for recreation. Game
was plenty. 1t was In the fall OF 1872; the nights
were rather COOL / was not feeling we'll; Jak,
had gone to the spring for water, and on the way
back he stopped to pick up some wood for thu
''While sitting there alone, by the dim light OF
few small sticks, my mind running back to tn,
early days when the country was inhabited by thu
red man, and game was plenty, there came a sud
den sharp SOUND from the closed door, and, witt
the rapidity OF lightning, something seemed to bt
going around that room. AS it passed between me
long. In less time than 1t takes to tell this
should think 1t had made more than forty circuits
OF the cabin. Another sharp thud at the door, and
1t was gone. Soon Jake came in, bringing an arm
full OF wood and bucket, made of an old beef can
| full OF fresh water from the spring. told hin
what had happened. He laughed. and said mus
be coming down with the fever and getting deliri
Gus. II / was a little unwell, knew was moi
what might be termed sick. But Jake laughed on
"By the now glowing fire we cooked our ratiOns
army fashion; smoked our pipes, and talked Of
things in general With few boughs collected
near by we made fair bed The next morning. q
we lay there few moments after waking, saw
Jake looking earnestly at the door. what are
holes in that door. Just look at them they were
not there yesterday Then he got up and exam
1ned them. He opened the door and looked a,
mighty queer Then it seemed as though q
thought flashed across his mind Gus. what was
was S snE me last
know too much about the snake tribe in general
to believe that snake could make, In the manner
your words imply, such holes as these; but, never
thploSS
Get up here and come and look at these holes
Don't be lying there all day. SO arose and looked
more m ster1OuS when, a few moments later, We
found two nice, smOOthly-cut blocks, like hogs
head,pungs, one outside and one within the cabin,
which fit the respective holes perfectly.
1--WE went out TO hunt for the DAY, ana somehow
strayed long distance from the cabin so did not
II M me se
low. I knew by his manner that he saw some
thing and was on the point OF raising his gun FOL
ming toward the object he had nred at. Before
could reach him he was pinning something down
to the ground with hts gun: It proved 70 be
In our cabin and made ourselves comfortable FOL
the night. The next morning we found the large
asa queer-lool1ng head, says Jake. Yes; it was
queer-loOk1ng head. You know how turtle
draws his head into hts she'll Well this snake had
could be drawn back and forth, like. say q piect
OF tooth-potnted stovepipe. On the end, which
could be thrown out beyond the mead, there Wert
sharp and hard teeth, much like trepanning in
| strument. Studying the dead specimen, should
say that he must have had the power to throw this
covering forward and at the same time TO give tt
twist and thereby make neat round hole.
Stake now became more interested In my yarn,
as he termed It He asked more questions about
/ 1t than was able to answer. "Weil, that beats
| the Dutch, don't 1T We must keep mum, though
when we get home. else the folks WIN think W.
have been among the smoonshiners' and had some
| OF their pine-top whisky We thought TO brin&
| the specimen home with us but the next night
when we got back to the cabin, we found II occu
/ pied by some natives, and IL seems they haS
bruised the serpentS head with their heels till 4
was OF no special value TO any one. We spent tha
night with them, but no more snakes came arounG
| to pay visit TO that cabin while we were there
ZnnHIL,